diff --git a/src/weapon.c b/src/weapon.c
index 16fd7d593..decc65b64 100644
--- a/src/weapon.c
+++ b/src/weapon.c
@@ -839,8 +839,9 @@ mon_wield_item(struct monst *mon)
         if (canseemon(mon)) {
             boolean newly_welded;
 
-            pline("%s wields %s%c", Monnam(mon), doname(obj),
-                  exclaim ? '!' : '.');
+            pline_xy(mon->mx, mon->my,
+                     "%s wields %s%c", Monnam(mon), doname(obj),
+                     exclaim ? '!' : '.');
             /* 3.6.3: mwelded() predicate expects the object to have its
                W_WEP bit set in owormmask, but the pline here and for
                artifact_light don't want that because they'd have '(weapon